Recommendations from two highly eloquent guest critics today -- who discuss the Radio 4 output of the great Jon Ronson, a laugh-out loud satire of investigative podcasts called Whatever Happened to Pizza at McDonald's, and a steam-punk comdy drama set in Victorian London, called Victioricity. Holla @peeete

A trio of podcast recommendations this time around -- behind the scenes of some of the best pop songs of recent years with Song Exploder; upscale audio journalism from The New Yorker Radio Hour; and a gripping digital drama, Tracks, from the BBC.

Produced and presented by Pete Naughton (@peeete) with additional music by Aleister Kelman.

BBC Radio 4 just turned 50, and to mark the occasion I've chosen a couple of my favourite series from their back catalogue to recommend here. They are, in order of appearance, the superlatively good R4-British Museum collaboration, A History of the World in 100 Objects, and the ever-surprising, ever-engaging Archive on 4.

With special guest Julie Shapiro, Radiotopia's multi-talented Executive Producer, who recommends three great podcasts: Ear Hustle, The Organist and Mogul.

BANK HOLIDAY SPECIAL! Two distinctively brilliant audio dramas to recommend. 1. Kitchen Confidential from Somethin' Else and BBC Radio 4 -- available online until mid-June 2017, so be quick about it. 2. Homecoming from Gimlet. Available indefinitely; take your time.

More listening recommendations from podcast critic Pete Naughton... Up this time: 1. Live in Concert from NPR's All Songs Considered (with clips from Mavis Staples, Anderson Paak and Courtney Barnett), 2. The Daily from the New York Times, 3. Soul Music from BBC Radio 4. Find me on Twitter, if you're so inclined, @peeete

Shows recommended in this first episode are: 

1. Fifty Things That Made The Modern Economy from the BBC World Service

2. By The Way, In Conversation With Jeff Garlin 

Intro and outro music is a live version of Doctor's In by Son Little, used under Creative Commons.

I'm Pete Naughton - holla me @peeete